10 Lbs ULTRACAL 30 Gypsum Cement - Plaster - for Moldmaking and Casting, Ideal for Latex Molds! Takes Excellent Detail

I used latex and silicone rubber molds of real rocks to cast plaster rocks to use on my model railroad.Over the years, I've used Hydrocal and variations of casting plasters.While Hydrocal sets up very strong and can create pretty good detail, I've found that a high grade casting plaster can capture better detail from my molds then Hydrocal.The ULTRACAL 30 Gypsum Cement - Plaster accomplishes this. The first time I casted a rock, I was amazed at how much better it captured the details than Hydrocal did. I like to mix it with cold water to a pancake-like batter consistency so I can pour into my molds. I then let it set up for a couple of hours or more until completely set up. Note: like most plasters, it will generate a bit of heat while curing. Not enough to burn you, but just be aware.When removing from my molds, the plaster is quite strong. Even thins parts are not very brittle.I am very happy with this choice. If you do a lot of casting and require excellent detail, this is the prefect choice.

I love the way these turned out on my very first try with a new hobby. I didn’t have a kitchen scale to weigh the water or cement so I used a ratio of; 1/3 cup water and 1 cup of cement. (Ultracal 30) In my opinion, they turned out better than perfect! I love looking at them and feeling how smooth they are, and hardly any bubbles whatsoever. I have shown pictures of them to several people proudly bragging about them. I plan on letting them dry for one week and then start painting mandala rocks for Christmas gifts. In the photo I used exactly ten pounds of Ultracal 30 to make all those rocks!

I’ve purchased this more than once. Great price and fast shipping. For anyone who’s looking for cup equivalents, I use 1 cup ultracal to 1/4 cup water. I mix it in a Ziploc (name brand Ziploc only - cheaper ones tend to stick to sides a little). Super simple and easy to clean up by just tossing the Ziploc!

The media could not be loaded. It’s every easy to use. I use this in silicone molds. The mold manufacturer recommends ultracal30 for the durability. The first one I shipped out did get chipped in shipping though! I plan to try to package better next time and pray that works.

I have been using Ultracal 30 gypsum cement for approximately six months. I mix it slowly into measured water with my gloved hands. The molded stones begin drying quickly enough to unmold within 1-2 hours, although they must continue to dry all the way through over a few more days before painting, depending upon surrounding temperature and humidity. Tips and tricks to eliminate bubbles work well with Ultracal 30 to create stones that are smooth and practically bubble-free. I've been told this cement is harder to break or chip than others and, so far, none of my creations have broken. I was surprised that our local home improvement stores did not have this particular cement. Therefore, I am really glad that I can purchase it through Amazon.

even though the tracking didnt show it for some reason, this was delivered to me on October 7th.

This is perfect for making my mandala blanks!

There are hardly any instructions and made a huge mess. Never using again.